Calibrachoa plant named ‘USCALI4’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘USCALI4’, characterized by its semi-upright plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; large violet-colored flowers; good weather tolerance; and resistance to  Thielaviopsis .

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Calibrachoa sp. cultivar USCALI4.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is co-pending with the following related applications: Calibrachoa Plant named ‘USCALI48’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/827,541) and Calibrachoa Plant Named ‘USCALI17’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/827,546).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp., and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘USCALI4’.

The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hikone, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the program is to create new heat-tolerant and disease-resistant Calibrachoa cultivars with desirable plant habit and attractive flower colors.

The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on May 10, 1998 of a proprietary seedling selection of Calibrachoa identified as code number CJ4-5, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary seedling selection of Calibrachoa identified as code number CJ3-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa was selected by the Inventor on Jun. 15, 1999 in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany since Jun. 25, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar USCALI4 have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, daylength, water status and fertility level without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘USCALI4’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘USCALI4’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa:

-   -   1. Semi-upright to eventually cascading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large violet-colored flowers.     -   5. Good weather tolerance; tolerant to rain and low and high         temperatures.     -   6. Resistant to Thielaviopsis.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in plant habit as plants of the female selection are more upright than plants of the new Calibrachoa and plants of the male parent are more creeping than plants of the new Calibrachoa.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the cultivar Million Bells Trailing Blue, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,279. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoa had a more upright plant habit and larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Million Bells Trailing Blue.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Colorburst Blue, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoa had a more upright plant habit and larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Colorburst Blue.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘USCALI4’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers and leaves of ‘USCALI4’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants grown in 15-cm containers for about ten weeks were used for the aforementioned photographs and following description. Plants were grown under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the winter in Bonsall, Calif. in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse. During the production period, day temperatures ranged from 18 to 35° C. and night temperatures ranged from 10 to 21° C. Plants were grown under artificial long day/short night conditions to initiate flowering.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. cultivar USCALI4. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number CJ4-5, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number CJ3-1, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—Summer: About three             weeks at 20° C. Winter: About four weeks at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, freely-branching; whitish in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form/habit.—Annual flowering plant; initially upright to             semi-upright, eventually somewhat cascading; uniformly             mounded appearance. Moderate growth rate; vigorous.         -   Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes and             patio containers.         -   Plant height (from soil level to top of plant plane).—About             7 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 30 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, about 16 lateral branches             per plant; pinching is typically not required.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 15 cm. Diameter:             About 2 mm. Internode length: About 1.6 cm. Texture:             Pubescent; minute hairs. Color: 144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate until flowering,             then opposite; simple. Length: About 3.5 cm. Width: About             1.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Broadly acute to rounded.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Slightly coarse; pubescent, minute hairs. Venation             pattern: Pinnate; arcuate. Color: Developing foliage, upper             and lower surfaces: 144A. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: 147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B.             Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 147B. Petiole: Length:             About 8 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Color: 144C. Texture:             Slightly pubescent. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Flowers face mostly outwardly;             single, axillary; salverform. Flowers persistent. Freely             flowering habit, about 11 to 15 flower buds and open flowers             per lateral stem. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—April to October in Southern             California; flowering continuous during this period.         -   Time to flower.—Early flowering; plants begin flowering             about four to six weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 2.6 cm. Tube length: About 2.8             cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: 195A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five             petals, fused into flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 1 cm. Petal width: About 1.4 cm. Petal shape: Roughly             spatulate to obovate. Petal apex: Obtuse; slightly cleft.             Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: Petal, when             opening, upper surface: Brighter than 77A. Petal, when             opening, lower surface: More gray than 85A. Petal, opened             flower, upper surface: 83C. Petal, opened flower, lower             surface: More gray than 86D. Flower throat (inside): 1A.             Flower tube (outside): More gray than 86D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals,             fused at base; star-shaped. Length: About 1.7 cm. Width:             About 3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate; slightly reflexed. Apex:             Broadly acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: About 45° from stem axis. Texture:             Glabrous, smooth. Color: 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.             Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther             color: 10B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 12A.             Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About             1 cm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 145A. Style             length: About 8 mm. Style color: 145D. Ovary color: 145D.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been     noted to be resistant to Thielaviopsis which causes black root rot     or basal stem rot. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been noted     to be resistant to other pathogens and pests common to Calibrachoas. -   Weather/temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa are     tolerant to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate     temperatures from −4 to 38° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant named ‘USCALI4’, as illustrated and described. 